Show Business parodies and satirises formulaic Bollywood cinema, using it as a metaphor in an attempt to raise and answer questions about contemporary India and Indians.

The character and many incidents of Ashok Banjara's life are inspired by that of Amitabh Bachchan, the biggest superstar in Bollywood's history.

The author has explained in numerous interviews that the title refers not only to Bollywood but also to politics (which the protagonist joins) and to religion (as practised by one of the characters, a Guru to the stars), both of which are also forms of "show business", selling illusions to the public.

Show Business begins with Ashok Banjara, a superstar in Bollywood, fighting for his life in the intensive care unit of a hospital after an accident on the sets of a film that he is shooting.

A successful Ashok Banjara marries Maya, a talented co-star and convinces her to stay away from films for the sake of the family.

At the pinnacle of his success as a Bollywood star, Banjara is enticed to join politics and he wins the election easily (from his politician father's constituency).

Banjara's accident on the sets of Kalki sees an audience of hundreds gathered outside the hospital waiting for news on his health.

The narrative of Show Business begins in medias res, and the story is revealed in a series of flashbacks by the novel's protagonist Banjara.

Ashok Banjara, the protagonist of Show Business can be correlated to Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood's biggest star till date.

Mehnaz Elahi, Ashok Banjara's mistress can be correlated to Parveen Babi and Rekha, both very popular Bollywood actresses whom Amitabh Bachchan was rumoured to have had affairs with.